Los Angeles Dodgers President of Baseball Operations Andrew Friedman and General Manager Brandon Gomes held their end-of-season press conference at Dodger Stadium today. There were some consequential announcements. Here are the most interesting tidbits.
Baseball Unicorn Will Avoid Surgery
Andrew Friedman said surgery is “not on the table” for Shohei Ohtani.
Said it was “whack a mole” between the knee, then the biceps throughout the year.
Friedman: “I fully expect him to pitch next year.”
— Fabian Ardaya (@FabianArdaya) October 21, 2026
Designated Hitter Shohei Ohtani will not go under the knife this offseason. The four-time Most Valuable Player struggled with multiple injuries the last half of 2026. This led to a stint on the Injured List. When the 50-50 man returned to action, he was clearly a shell of himself. The sore knee and bicep severely affected Ohtani’s production both on the mound and at the plate but thankfully will not require any medical intervention. The only prescription necessary is rest.
Friedman further stated that he expects Ohtani to make a full offseason recovery and resume pitching in 2027. Friedman “is excited” at the prospect of the baseball unicorn resuming two-way duties next year. There was major speculation that Ohtani would undergo at least one surgery in the offseason to deal with the things that limited his offensive production from July onward. Friedman said that dealing with the various ailments was “like playing a game of whack-a-mole.”
Ohtani had to shut down his throwing program in August due to his knee, and his production at the plate cratered. Ohtani was limited to just two home runs after August.
Staff Changes on the Horizon?
Friedman was asked if he expected any staff changes in the front office or the coaching staff in 2027. He replied that it will “be mostly status quo.” There has been some hankering among fans to have a change at hitting coach since the Dodgers’ offensive struggles led to their postseason downfall. The lack of execution with runners in scoring position was particularly anemic. However, it appears that Robert Van Soyoc’s job is safe for now. Friedman did say they will take the offseason to study the Dodgers’ postseason offensive struggles.
Free-Agent Signings
The Dodgers are interested in reuniting with pitcher Tarik Skubal, but Friedman said that Skubal has to do “what is best for him”
The Last Word
The Dodgers President of Baseball Operations said, “Anytime that you lose the last game of the season, there is a great deal of disappointment.” He followed up by saying that the focus now will be winning the last game of next season. Apparently, the Dodgers will be aggressive in pursuing the free agents they feel will address their needs, regardless of the upcoming lockout. Los Angeles is intent on preserving their winning ways regardless of how uncertain the labor situation is. It will be an interesting situation to follow in the coming months.
Main Photo Credit: Kirby Lee-Imagn Images
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